Evolutionary Theory

The integration of development with evolutionary theory requires the formulation of specific, testable concepts and the establishment of formal models, in order to guide future empirical research. Our work in this domain is concentrating in particular on the phenomena of morphological organization (such as homology and homoplasy), the developmental origins of structural innovations, and the effects of developmental constraints on the course and pattern of phenotypic evolution. We foster the conceptual integration of evolutionary theory leading towards an extended evolutionary synthesis.